After concluding their journey in Baden-Baden, Liang En and his companions spent two days handling a series of real estate transfer procedures. Following this, the group from Golden Dawn boarded a train to Frankfurt and then flew to London.
"Do you really plan to go straight to Scotland without resting?" Fan Meng asked at the airport, looking at Liang En and Joan of Arc who were preparing for their connecting flight.
"No rest for us, I feel uneasy not checking such a vast tract of land," Liang En replied with a wave and a smile. "You could hurry back and rest, and while you're at it, bring a gift to my parents for me."
"Don't worry, I'll head straight to your place and deliver the items to your parents as soon as I get back," Fan Meng gently patted the carry-on next to him, then glanced at the electronic screen for his boarding call. "I should go now. Safe travels!"
Shortly after Fan Meng's plane took off for Dublin, Liang En and the others also embarked on their flight to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Upon arrival, they drove a pickup truck from a ranch straight north to their destination.
"This truck feels a bit old," Joan of Arc commented as she tried unsuccessfully to open a window and looked at the worn interior. "Is the mechanical part of this truck safe?"
"That should be no problem. Though the truck dates back to the 1980s, I can at least feel that it's safe to drive," Liang En assured, gripping the steering wheel.
"As for other faults, well, it’s a farm vehicle that's been heavily used for decades, so some wear and tear are understandable."
Their target was the Scottish Highlands, a term for the mountains west and north of the Highland Boundary Fault. Many consider the Scottish Highlands to be among the most picturesque landscapes in Europe.
The Highlands are composed of ancient, fragmented plateaus. Age-old rocks, carved by watercourses and glaciers, form valleys and lakes, leaving behind a rugged mountainous area with peaks of roughly equal height.
Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Britain, adds to the scenic splendor of the region. Yet, despite its beauty, the climate and terrain are hardly conducive to human habitation.
The area also boasts the highest latitude in all of Britain, comparable to that of Sweden and Norway. However, unlike the densely populated British Isles, this region has a lower population density than the Nordic countries, leaving few human traces along the way.
As they moved further north, the sky grew dimmer. Known for its high rainfall due to being an island nation, Scotland's Highlands even surpass the average precipitation levels of the rest of the UK.
The moist climate combined with high altitudes creates an overall cold and damp atmosphere, with truly clear days being a rarity.
However, as they drove along the coastal road, a scene of epic beauty unfolded before them. The sea breeze sang an endless melody, and the deep blue mountains were capped with a purple sky.
From a distance, large pebbles tumbled from the mountaintops into a lush, green meadow; nearby, various-sized lakes reflected the ever-changing heavens.
Unlike similar latitudes in Scandinavia, the region wasn't densely forested. Rather than a barren desert, the land was covered with soft, undulating green grass and moss.
If the wilds of southern Britain felt vibrant with life, the highlands conveyed a blend of magnificence and melancholy.
Due to well-developed infrastructure, it took only two hours after their flight for them to reach their actual destination, a small village called Fox. The village was named after the first prey a lord hunted in this area—a fox—which later gave the settlement its name.
Soon, their vehicle traversed the village and ascended a hillside path. Within three minutes, they arrived at a four-bedroom cabin nestled in the woods.
"What a beautiful view!" Joan of Arc exclaimed with satisfaction as they got out of the car. The verdant scene was indeed breathtaking.
Everywhere they looked was green: the trees, the moss on the trunks, the dense foliage, and even the moss on the ground seemed vibrant, as if even the air filtering through the leaves was alive with vitality.
Fortunately, the cabin's elevated location, along with its construction accounting for the local humid climate, meant that the interior was in good condition, free from the mold Liang En had half-expected.
"Why would anyone build a cabin in such a place?" Joan of Arc wondered aloud as they toured the rooms. "Staying here too long, one might get arthritis, and it feels a bit desolate."
"Nelson mentioned that the owner was a wealthy second-generation heir who not only squandered his fortune through reckless spending and bad investments but also ended up deeply in debt to the banks, ultimately losing all his valuable possessions to auction," Liang En explained.
"That figures," Joan sighed, shaking her head. She had seen her fair share of nobles who
had squandered their fortunes and vanished into obscurity, so she was familiar with such tales.
Intending to stay for a few days to assess the situation, Liang En promptly summoned an invisible servant, Thubak, to start cleaning the house, while he and Joan began inspecting each room.
The house, fully furnished and finely decorated, needed only a bit of dusting before it was habitable. However, just over an hour into their cleanup, the sound of a car approached.
"Do we know anyone around here?" Joan asked, turning her head towards the unfamiliar sedan that had pulled up outside. "They seem to have caught on quickly."
"I don't think it's someone we know," Liang En responded as he watched an unfamiliar middle-aged man exit the car. "As for the ranch workers, we agreed to meet tomorrow at noon for a meal, so it's unlikely they would come now."
Indeed, sharing a meal is a universally acknowledged way to foster relationships, especially when dealing with farm workers.
At that moment, the stranger crossed the small clearing to the door and knocked, clearly there to see Liang En.
"Someone's home," Liang En said as he hurried downstairs and opened the door. "I'm sorry, but I don’t believe we've met. May I ask who you are?"
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